Working for the US Government: The Pros and Cons (2024)

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
There are distinct advantages to working for the US government, particularly during troubling times in the economy. Here, I discuss the pros and cons.

00:00 Intro
00:36 The pros
01:48 The cons
04:20 Summary
04:54 Outro

Jobs with the Federal Government for Veterans

Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of working for the US government. I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. People hire me for no BS job search advice and coaching globally, because I make finding work much easier for people.

With more than 2 million federal civilian employees, the US government offers a wide range of career opportunities. But it also comes with some unique trade-offs you to consider.

So starting with the positives, government jobs tend to be very stable and secure. There’s little risk at this time of positions being eliminated or downsized. You can often expect steady employment with good protection.

The benefits packages are also quite strong. Think comprehensive health and dental insurance, generous vacation and sick time, and defined benefit pension plans. Another appeal for many is that many of these jobs are mission-driven. They’re public service nature roles.

Working for a federal agency or department gives you a chance to make a difference on issues that may matter to you, like public health, environmental conservation, economic policy, and others. You might feel the pride and fulfillment that comes from serving your community and country. In terms of growth, the government invests a lot in training and developing its workforce. There are clear paths to move up within an organization, take on new responsibilities and continue advancing in your career. Tuition assistance, mentorship, and on-the-job training helps employees reach their potential.

However, there are some potential downsides to consider. The hiring process for government jobs is unusually slow and makes more complex compared to the private sector. You may have to go through standardized tests, extensive applications, a unique resume, background checks and more. Salaries especially for entry-level roles tend to be lower than comparable private sector companies.

Working within government bureaucracies at times can be frustrating, and thus, policies and procedures tend to be very rigid. There are many rules to follow and boxes to check which can feel constricting if you’re someone who likes flexibility and creativity. Hiring freezes show up. Furloughs, even layoffs can loom large when budgets get tight.

There’s less flexibility with compensation. Pay bands and grade systems mean you have less ability to negotiate your salary. Bonuses and pay increases are usually standardized. There are potential geographic restrictions in terms of the location you might be able to work in for your agency, and thus work moving between agencies can be difficult.

There might be less work-life balance, because of understaffing and budget constraints. Thus, you may have to work overtime and longer hours. The technology and resources might be shall we say, old. Tight purse strings mean government offices may be behind on adopting new technologies, tools and modern amenities. There’s more public scrutiny, more oversight, more public attention on your performance and conduct missteps can lead to newspaper headlines. Sometimes, decision-making is politically driven.

You know, priorities and policies can shift drastically with changes in presidential administrations and congressional power. Long-term initiatives can be stalled. They’re also resistant to change. That’s the nature of bureaucracy and red tape. And thus, it can be difficult to innovate processes were implement reforms quickly. New ideas face substantial institutional resistance.

To sum up, government workers may have to tolerate lower pay flexibility, work-life imbalances, bureaucratic hurdles, public criticism and political influences more than a private sector employee would. For some, mission work that’s satisfying makes it worthwhile but for others, the cons can be deal breakers. You have to evaluate your fit based on your own preferences and motivations when considering government employment.

Interested in a Job with the US Government? You’ll Need a Federal Resume

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